Stillage or pallet for use in handling and storing articles



Jan. 18, 1955 P. c. CHASE EI'AL 2,699,911

STILLAGE OR PALLET FOR USE IN HANDLING AND STORING ARTICLES Filed May 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Jan. 18, 1955 P. c. CHASE ETAL 2,699,911

STILLAGE OR PALLET FOR USE IN HANDLING AND STORING ARTICLES Filed May 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i/VVENWR m rm x United States Patent STILLAGE OR PALLET FOR USE IN HANDLING AND STORING ARTICLES Philip Cecil Chase and Ernest William Harris, Cobham, England; said Hards assignor to 1?. C. & C. K. Chase Limited, London, England, a British company Application May 22, 1953, Serial No. 356,731

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-120) This invention is for improvements in or relating to I viewed in plan, which stillages are so constructed as to be usable in stacks, with one unit directly supported on the top of another. The invention has for one of 1ts objects to economise in the space required for accommodating stillages when not in use or during transport when empty. Another object is to provide a construction which can be cheaply manufactured and which offers adequate strength.

It has been proposed to make the pillars of stlllages in two lengths hinged together so that the upper lengths could be folded laterally into collapsed position when the stillages were not in use, but this prior proposal did not provide for the convenient and safe stacking of the collapsed stillages one on the top of another.

According to the primary feature of the invention, there is provided a stackable stillage of the type above described and in which the pillars have at their lower ends bell-shaped feet to rest upon the pillars in the next lower stillage during stacking, which pillars are made each in two lengths hinged together so that the upper lengths can be folded laterally into collapsed position when the stillage is not in use, which stillage is characterised in that associated with each pillar there is a standard which is so arranged as not to obstruct one-way collapsing movement of the upper length of the pillar, and is short relatively to the upper length of the pillar but nevertheless long enough to reach upwardly sufiiciently past the hinging axis, .when the upper lengths are collapsed, to engage the foot of a pillar on the next higher stillage and maintain the latter clear of the collapsed components of the supporting stillage. Thus it will be appreciated that by the adoption of the present invention the stillages can be safely stacked by hand or by mechanical means not only when they are erect, i. e. in condition for use, but also when they have been collapsed for storage or transport.

The standard may be a rigid extension of the lower length of the pillar. Conveniently, the standards reach up from the lower lengths of the pillars into the interior of the upper lengths thereof when the latter are erect in operative position, and the hinged connection of each two associated pillar lengths is such as to permit suflicient relative longitudinal movement of the said associated pillar lengths to carry the upper length clear of the upper end of the standard and enable the said pillar length to be swung into collapsed position. To permit this relative movement, the standard may have a longitudinal slot, the ends of which are closed, through which slot a pivot pin carried by the upper length of the pillar slidably reaches. This longitudinal slot may be constituted by an external longitudinal guideway, the ends of which are closed, through which guideway an ofi-set laterally-arranged pivot pin carried by the upper length of the pillar reaches.

The invention also provides means for ensuring that the upper pillar lengths can be properly located and secured in their erect position, thus promoting steadiness.

For a more complete understanding of these and other features of the invention, there will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, certain constructional forms of col- 2,699,911 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 ice lapsible stillage according to the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of stillage in its erect position,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, on a scale larger than that of Figure 1, showing a part of the same stillage in its collapsed position,

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, of portions of one of the pillars of Figures 1 and 2 in its erect position,

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation showing in full lines portions of one of the pillars of Figures 1 and 2 in its erect position, and in chain lines the upper length of the pillar lifted and ready to swing into collapsed position,

Figure 5 is a detail end elevation showing portions of one of the pillars of Figures 1 and 2 with the upper length lifted and ready to swing into collapsed position,

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 6 -6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation showing in full lines portions of one pillar, of a different form of stillage, in its erect position, and in chain lines the upper length of the pillar swung into collapsed position,

Figure 8 is a detail end elevation of portions of the pillar shown in Figure 7 but with the upper length lifted and ready to swing into collapsed position, and 7 Ficgluge 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figures Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring firstly to Figures 1-6; the stillage therein shown is rectangular in plan, and has a tubular pillar of circular cross-section at each corner with a bell-shaped foot 10, in the form of a frustum of a cone, and with a convex hemi-spherical closed upper end 11. In stacking filled stillages, these hemi-spherical upper ends 11 of the pillars on one stillage engage fiat transverse bearing surfaces 12 inside the feet on the next higher stillage. Each pillar is in two lengths 13 and 14, hinged together, the axes of hinging being at the lowest convenient levels according to the proportions of the stillage. Below; the axes of hinging, the lower lengths 14 of the pillars are permanently connected together by tubular lengths 15 conforming with the outline of the stillage, and carry a floor 16. The sides may be closed by sheeting, lattice work or netting as desired between the floor level and the axes of hinging. This closure is not shown in the drawings. The lower part of the stillage is a rigid entity. Above the axes of hinging, the upper lengths 13 of the pillars are also connected together by couplings conforming with the outline of the stillage, and the sides, above the axes of hinging, may be closed by sheeting, lattice work or netting (not shown). These couplings and closures are wholly or in part disconnectible. As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, a detachable coupling 17, the operative position of which is shown in Figure 1, can be housed in sockets 18 near the feet of the pillars when the latter are collapsed. If the couplings between the upper lengths of two pillars on the same side of a stillage are left in place, these two upper lengths may be so hinged to the respective lower lengths as to' collapse as an entity. If, however, the said couplings are wholly or in part disconnectible, the hinging axes may be so arranged that each upper length is collapsible separately in the plane of a side of the stillage to which the pillar of which it forms part is appropriated.

Referring now more particularly to Figures'3-6, the lower length 14 of each pillar has a rigid extension constituting a standard 19 which forms part'of a plug welded or otherwise secured in the interior of the pillar.

vThe upper end of this plug is of reduced diameter to reach snugly into the bore of the lower 'end of the upper length 13 of the pillar, which bore is reduced and stiffened by the incorporation in its end of a, ring 20 into the ]interior of which the upper end of the said plug reac es.

:ment, the lower pillar length 14 is provided with an external longitudinal 'guideway 21, the ends of which are closed, through which guideway an off-set laterallyarranged detachable pivot pin 22 carried by the upper length 13 of the pillar slidably reaches. The guideway 21 is provided between the exterior of the pillar length 14 and a plate 23, the ends of which are welded or otherwise secured to the exterior of the pillar length. The ends of the pivot pin 22 are carried by opposed parallel fiat cheeks 24 depending from, and welded or otherwise secured to opposite sides of the lower end of the upper length 13 of the pillar, these cheeks being joined together through that part of their length which is somewhat above the lower end of the upper length 13 of the pillar by opposed parallel flat cross plates 25. Thus at the situation of the latter the cross-section is rectangular. The extreme lower ends of the cheeks 24 are not joined by the cross plates 25. On the one side of the pillar, the pivot pin 22 is carried by the extreme lower ends of the cheeks 24. The edges of the cheeks 24 at their extreme lower ends on the opposite side of therpillar are left exposed for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. The cross plates 25 have a dual function. They stiffen the cheeks 24, and they serve to complete a rectangular housing into which the upper end of the lower length of the pillar reaches when the upper length of the pillar is erect in operative position. This housing precludes undesired collapsing movement. The pivot pin 22 is parallel with the cross plates 25 and is offset from the body of the upper length of the pillar sufiiciently to permit the pin to slide in the guideway 21 while the upper end of the lower length of the pillar is engaging in the said rectangular housing.

'To collapse the upper length 13 of the pillar, it is firstly lifted as shown in Figure to carry the rectangular housing clear of the upper end of the plug 19 and then swung laterally and lowered into the position shown in Figure 2, the pivot pin 22 moving in the guideway 21. The upper end of the plug 19 is thus rendered available for engaging the bearing face 12 in the foot of the next hi her stillage in the stack. Furthermore, ins ection of Figure 2 shows that in the collapsed position, the guideway 21 affords freedom for a small vertical lift of the collapsed pillars, so that articles. such as for example detached side closures ofs the stillage, can be stored on the floor 16.

It was stated above, that on one side of the pil ar the edges of the extreme lower ends of the cheeks 24 on the upper len th 13 of the pillar are left exposed. The purpose of this is to allow such ed es to be en aged by a channel-sha ed securin member 26 which is slidable on a screwed stud 27 reaching laterally from the lower len th 14 of the pillar and carrying a clamping n t 28.

such as a butterfly nut. The ed es of the'ch unel 26 engage the ed es of the cheeks 24 and the base of the ch nnel is perfor ted to receive the screwed stud. 27. When the upper len th 13 of the pill r is erect and has b en slid down into operative setting. the cl mpi nut 28 is ti htened to ress the securing member 26 against the cheeks 24 and thus promote the ste iness of the Proof s illa e. e securi member 26 is inoperative when the stillage is c llapsed. A br ket 29 is provided on the lower length 14 of the pi lar to enga e the b ttom end of the securing member 26 and prevent it from turnin bout the screwed stud 27.

Referring now to Figures 79, a construction is therein shown which is somewhat different from the construction shown in Figures 1-6. In Figures 7-9, the unnerend of the lower len th 14 of the pillar has welded in it the lower end of a plug 39 which, above the lower length 14 of the pillar constitutes the standard and is of oblong cross-section at 31 terminating in a cvlind ical portion 32 at its upper end. A longitudinal slot 33 ex ends throu h the narrow thickness of the oblong 31. the wider dimension of which is the same as the outside iameter of the pi lar excent at the uncti n with the c lindrical portion 32. At this situation. the wider dimension of the oblong 31 is increased and shaned to provide shoulders 34, one each side of the cylindrical portion 32, the diameter of which latter is the same as the narrow dimension of the oblong 31. The lower end of the upper length 13 of the pillar also has a plug welded in it. this latter plug is bifurcated at 3: beyond the pillar and is tubular at 36 inside the pillar. The opposed faces of the bifurcation 35 are flat and parallel and so spaced as slidably to embrace the wider faces of the oblong 31, a pivot pin 22 in the bifurcation reaching through the slot 33 in the oblong 31. When the upper length 13 of the pillar is erect in operative position, the cylindrical portion 32 reaches into the tubular plug 36 in the upper length 13 of the pillar and the exposed sides of this plug seat between the shoulders 34. To collapse the upper length 13 of the pillar, it is firstly lifted as shown in Figure 8 to clear the cylindrical portion 32 and then swung laterally and lowered, the pivot pin 22 moving down towards the lower end of the slot 33. The upper end 32 of the standard is thus rendered available for engaging the bearing face 12 in the foot 10 of the next higher stillage in the stack.

, It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

We claim:

1. .A stackable stillage comprising a floor and a skeleton framework including upstanding pillars joined together around the contour of the stillage as viewed in plan, which pillars have at their lower ends bell-shaped feet to rest upon the pillars in the next lower stillage during stacking, and which pillars are made each in two lengths hinged together so that the upper lengths can be folded laterally into collapsed position when the stillage is not in use, in combination with standards associated one with each pillar, each of which standards is so arranged as not to obstruct one-way collapsing movement of the upper length of the pillar with which it is associated, and reaches up from the lower length of the pillar into the interior of the upper length thereof when the latter is erect in operative position, the hinged connection of each two associated pillar lengths comprising an external longitudinal guide member forming a longitudinal guideway on the lower length of the pillar, which guideway has closed ends, and an off-set laterally-arranged pivot pin carried by the upper length of the pillar and slidably reaching into said guideway which latter is of such length as to permit sufficient relative longitudinal movement of the said associated pillar lengths to carry the upper length clear of the upper end of the standard and enable the said pillar length to be swung into collapsed position, and the standard being short relatively to the upper length of the pillar but nevertheless long enough to reach upwardly sufiiciently past the hinging axis, when the upper length is collapsed, to engage the foot of a pillar on the next higher stillage and maintain the latter clear of the collapsed components of the supporting stillage.

2. A stackable stillage comprising a floor and a skeleton framework including upstanding pillars joined together around the contour of the stillage as viewed in plan, which pillars have at their lower ends bell-shaped feet to rest upon the pillars in the next lower stillage during stacking, and which pillars are made each in two lengths hinged together so that the upper lengths can be folded laterally into collapsed position when the stillage -is not in use, in combination with standards associated one-with each pillar, each of which standards is so arranged as not to obstruct one-way collapsing movement of the upper length of the pillar with which it is associated, and reaches up from the lower length of the pillar into the interior of the upper length thereof when the latter is erect in operative position, the hinged connection of each two associated pillar lengths comprising a bifurcation at the lower end of the upper length of the pillar slidably embracing the opposite sides of the lower length of the pillar and the hinged connection being such as to permit suflicient relative longitudinal movement of the said associated pillar lengths to carry the upper length clear of the upper end of the standard and enable the said pillar length to be swung into collapsed position, and the standard being short relatively to the upper length of the pillar but nevertheless long enough to reach upwardly sufliciently past the hinging axis, when the upper length is collapsed, to engage the foot .of a pillar on the next higher stillage and maintain the latter clear of the collapsed components of the supporting stillage, a screwed stud reaching laterally from the lower length of the pillar, a securing member slidable along said stud and adapted, when the upper length of the pillar is erect in operative position, to engage the edges of the bifurcation on one side of the hinging axis, and a clamping nut on the stud to control the securing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

